Channel Tunnel: Transposition of EU Open Access Directives

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Who they intend to consult on the transposition of the European Union Open Access Directives in connection with the Channel Tunnel into United Kingdom regulations; when this consultation will take place; and whether the consultation documentation will cover the relationship between the British Railways Board–Eurotunnel Usage Contract and the proposed regulations.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government's consultation on the transposition of the European Union Open Access Directives, which ran from 27 June 2005 until 5 August 2005, advised that implementation for the Channel Tunnel was to be done by means of a bi-national regulation which is being discussed with the French Government. The broad areas to be covered by the bi-national regulation were described in the consultation document, which also invited consultees' comments on the Government's plans for transposition.
	Consultation on the text of the bi-national regulation itself was undertaken in agreement with the French Government from 3 August to 18 September 2005. The text was sent to the Channel Tunnel Concessionaires, to the railway undertakings currently operating through the Channel Tunnel and to those undertakings who had applied for safety certificates for Channel Tunnel operations.
	The bi-national regulation applies the principles of European law governing the rights of railway undertakings for access and transit on the Community's railways, including the requirements governing framework agreements. It does not deal with specific contracts.

Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities Report: Government Response

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to the report by the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, Making Us Count on identifying and improving mental health support for young people with learning difficulties.

Lord Warner: We welcome the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (FPLD) report Making Us Count and the contribution it makes to understand the needs of young people with learning disabilities who also have mental health problems. The National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, which we published in September 2004, recognised that children and young people with learning disabilities and mental health problems have special needs.
	The national service framework recommended that primary care trusts and local authorities should ensure that children and young people with learning disabilities receive equal access to mental health services at all tiers of service. To take this work forward we are funding a two-year FPLD project—Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Access for All. The project will seek the views of young people with learning disabilities, family carers and with CAMHS and learning disability staff about current services. It will explore how these services can become more inclusive and identify clear pathways to care.

Motor Neurone Disease: Non-invasive Ventilation

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What monitoring is undertaken by the Department of Health of access to non-invasive ventilation (NIV) for people with motor neuron disease (MND); what estimate they have made of the effect on life expectancy and the quality of life of MND patients; and what consideration is being given to making access to NIV more widely available.

Lord Warner: Data on non-invasive ventilation for patients with motor neuron disease are not collected by the Department of Health.
	A team from University College London and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne have been chosen to lead a £20 million initiative to speed up the development of new medical treatments for dementia and neurodegenerative disease. The team will co-ordinate a network of National Health Service staff and resources across the country to expand the number and range of clinical trials of medical treatments for neurodegenerative diseases including motor neurone disease.
	The network will offer unprecedented opportunities to bring the latest clinical treatments and trials to people in the United Kingdom. The new scheme will operate in close partnership with patient organisations to ensure that we are addressing the research questions that are of most importance to patients.

Noise Pollution

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What measures they are taking to combat noise pollution.

Lord Bach: The Government are taking numerous measures to combat noise pollution, ranging from the international to the national to the local level.
	At the national part of the spectrum, the Government are currently implementing an EU directive on environmental noise pollution (2002149/EC) that will lead, in 2007, to transport noise being mapped in agglomerations of more than 250,000 inhabitants as well as at major roads, railways and airports throughout the country. Action plans to tackle problems that are identified will follow in 2008 and then at five-yearly intervals.
	The Government's "Planning Policy Guidance: Planning and Noise" gives national guidance to planning authorities and others on how potential noise pollution should be addressed through development. The Government are currently reviewing this guidance to bring it up to date with, among other things, the UK's sustainable development strategy of 2005. The Government are also committed to developing a national ambient noise strategy by the end of 2007.
	At the local level, the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 will give local authorities further powers for dealing with neighbourhood noise once they come into force in spring 2006. The new measures include powers for local authorities to deal with misfiring intruder alarms and the extension of the Noise Act 1996 to enable local authorities to issue fixed penalty notices of £500 to licensed premises causing excessive noise.
	The Government are also developing a neighbourhood noise strategy for launch in 2007. This will review existing legislation for dealing with noise nuisance, including the statutory nuisance regime under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as well as any gaps that existing legislation does not address. A draft scope for the Strategy will be consulted on later this year.

Passenger Charter Compensation

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much compensation has been paid by each rail passenger franchisee to passengers under the Passenger Charter in the past year.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Department for Transport does not collate this information which is a matter for the train operating companies.

Passenger Charter Compensation

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there is any requirement on franchisees to publicise details of the Passenger Charter to passengers whose journeys have been delayed sufficiently for them to qualify for compensation.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Under their franchise agreements, franchise operators are required to have passenger's charters which detail the compensation arrangements which apply in the event of delays to journeys. The passenger's charter will usually be available at staffed stations and on franchise operators' websites. There is no requirement additionally to publicise the entitlement to compensation in the event of an individual delay.